Country star Kellie Pickler will emcee when Minnesota's We Fest returns in August

Undaunted in planning for the return of We Fest in August, new festival owners have announced an array of opening acts plus the country-music hoedown's first big-name emcee ever.

Country star Kellie Pickler — the "American Idol" finalist, "Dancing with the Stars" champ, former TV talk-show host and country singer — will emcee We Fest Aug. 5-7 in Detroit Lakes.

Headliners Florida Georgia Line, Dierks Bentley and Blake Shelton were announced in January, and now comes the various openers including Lanco, Russell Dickerson and Eli Young Band.

For a change, the lineup includes several rising female stars — Lindsay Ell, Ingrid Andress, Maddie & Tae, Rae Lynn and Lakeville's own Erin Grand.

Launched in 1983, the popular camping-and-country festival was staged at Soo Pass Ranch for 37 consecutive years. After Live Nation, the world's largest promoter, purchased We Fest in late 2019, they announced no festival in 2020 — before the world was aware of COVID-19.

Twin Cities promoter Matt Mithun, who now owns the Soo Pass Ranch, is partnering with Live Nation. His father, ad executive Ray Mithun Jr., previously owned the 400-acre site and was a longtime associate in We Fest with promoter Randy Levy, who sold the festival in 2014 to Townsquare Media, a national radio and festival concern.

Tickets and camping passes are available at wefest.com.

Twitter: @JonBream • 612-673-1719